Current Ethernet solutions either remain operating at a given speed, e.g. 1000BASE-T, regardless of the bandwidth utilization, and thus consume more power than necessary, or they require software drivers to drop the link and auto-negotiate to a new, lower speed to save power, but losing link for several seconds in the process making that option unsuitable for many applications. IEEE 802.3 Working Group has recently formed an Energy-Efficient Ethernet (EEE) Task Force, officially named 802.3az, to define a solution for reducing the average power consumption of Ethernet by addressing the issues noted above with current solutions. So far there have been two proposals to the IEEE Task Force for EEE, both of which recommend rate-shifting to track the bandwidth utilization demand. Rate-shifting, as proposed by the EEE Task Force, is a technique where the Ethernet communication speed may be up-shifted or down-shifted, depending on bandwidth demand. For example, during periods of low demand, the speed may be shifted down from a fast communication speed to a slower communication speed (e.g., 1000BASE-T to 100BASE-TX). As demand increases, the speed may be shifted up.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.